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HISTORICAL EVENTS BY COUNTRY :: BRAZIL  

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Brazil: Historical Dates

AD 1500 The Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in eastern Brazil and claimed the land for Portugal.
1530s Successful settlements developed at Recife and Salvador. Portuguese colonists used Native American and African slaves to work huge sugar plantations.
1763 The capital moved from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro, which had become Brazil's largest city and main port.
1822 Pedro I declared Brazil's independence from Portugal.
1888 Slavery was abolished in Brazil.
1889 Pedro II was forced to abdicate, despite Brazil's many advances during his reign. Brazil became a republic.
1930 Military forces overthrew the republic and named Getúlio Vargas as president.
1937 President Vargas was granted dictatorial authority in an attempt to help Brazil out of the Great Depression.
1945 Vargas was forced from office. The next year, Brazil returned to constitutional government.
1960 The capital of Brazil moved from Rio de Janeiro to the newly built city of Brasília in the country's interior.
1964 Seeking to prevent a Communist takeover of Brazil, military forces again seized power. The military rigged elections and curbed civil rights.
1985 Brazil regained a civilian government.
1988 A new constitution providing for a directly elected president was enacted.
1992 Facing impeachment proceedings in the Senate for corruption charges, President Fernando Collor de Mello resigned.
1995 Brazil joined Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay in forming the Southern Cone Common Market, a free-trade organization also known by its Spanish acronym, MERCOSUR.
1996 President Fernando Henrique Cardoso issued a controversial presidential decree allowing non-Native American individuals, regional governments, and private companies to appeal land allocation decisions made by Brazil's Indian Affairs Bureau.

HISTORICAL EVENTS BY COUNTRY :: BELGIUM  

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Belgium: Historical Dates

AD 768-814 Belgium was an important part of Charlemagne's empire.
1384-1477 Belgium was under the control of the House of Burgundy.
1516 Belgium and the Netherlands came under Spanish control.
1581 Belgium remained under Spanish rule, but the Netherlands declared independence. The Belgian economy was hurt by lost trade with the Netherlands.
1713 Austria assumed control of Belgium after the War of the Spanish Succession.
1794 French troops drove the Austrians from Belgium. Austria formally ceded Belgium to France in 1797.
1815 Napoleon I of France met his final defeat at Waterloo in central Belgium. Belgium became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
1830 Belgium declared its independence from the Netherlands.
1885 King Leopold II established the Congo Free State. The colony supplied Belgium with raw materials for its growing industrial sector.
1914 Germany violated Belgium's neutrality by invading at the start of World War I. Many battles of the war were later fought in Belgium.
1940 Belgium was again invaded and defeated by Germany during World War II. It was liberated in 1944.
1952 Belgium was a founding member of the European Coal and Steel Community, which became the European Economic Community in 1957, with headquarters in Brussels.
1971 A new constitution formally recognized Belgium's French-, Dutch-, and German-speaking communities.
1993 A constitutional revision made Belgium a federal state. Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels each became semi-autonomous regions.

HISTORICAL EVENTS BY COUNTRY :: AUSTRIA  

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Austria: Historical Dates

15 BC The Roman Empire controlled Austria south of the Danube.
AD 166 Northern tribes began invading Austria.
955 Austria came under the rule of Otto I of Germany.
1278 Holy Roman emperor Rudolf I, a member of the Habsburg family, began acquiring Austrian lands.
1438 The Habsburg Archduke of Austria assumed the title of Holy Roman Emperor. The Austrian Habsburgs held the title of emperor almost continuously until 1806.
1683 Invading Ottomans were stopped short of Vienna for the second and final time.
1713 Charles VI declared the Pragmatic Sanction, allowing his daughter Maria Theresa to inherit the throne.
1806 The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved after Napoleon I conquered much of the empire.
1815 Prince Klemens von Metternich represented the Austrian Empire at the Congress of Vienna. Metternich dominated Austrian politics until 1848.
1866 Italy and Prussia defeated Austria in the Seven Weeks' War, weakening the empire. The next year, the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary was declared.
1914 Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated, triggering World War I.
1918 Following defeat in World War I, the last Habsburg emperor was overthrown. Austria became a republic.
1938 German troops seized Austria. Germany announced the Anschluss, or union, of Austria and Germany.
1945 Austria was occupied by the Allied powers following World War II.
1955 Austria regained its independence, but declared its permanent neutrality in foreign affairs.
1976 The Winter Olympic Games were held in Innsbruck.
1986 Kurt Waldheim was elected president despite allegations of involvement in Nazi war crimes during World War II.
1995 Austria became a member of the European Union.

HISTORICAL EVENTS BY COUNTRY :: AUSTRALIA  

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Australia: Historical Dates

50,000 BC The first Aborigines probably began arriving in Australia from Southeast Asia around this time.
AD 1606 Willem Jansz, a Dutch captain, became the first European to explore the Australian coast.
1770 Captain James Cook, an English explorer, claimed eastern Australia for Great Britain.
1788 The First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay and established a penal colony near modern-day Sydney.
1829 The colony of Western Australia was founded at Perth, giving Great Britain control of the entire Australian continent.
1850 Transportation of British convicts to Sydney was abolished. However, it continued to Hobart, on the island of Tasmania, and to Western Australia for several years, allowing those colonies to grow quickly.
1851 Gold was discovered in New South Wales and Victoria, and a new wave of immigrants soon moved to Australia. Melbourne and other cities prospered in the following decades.
1901 The Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed. The same year, the White Australia Policy was implemented.
1914 Many Australians enlisted for service in World War I. However, enthusiasm for the war waned as the Australian economy suffered.
1931 The Great Depression was made worse in much of Australia by deflationary government policies.
1942 Darwin was bombed repeatedly until Australian forces helped stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific during World War II.
1951 Australia signed the ANZUS defense treaty with New Zealand and the United States.
1956 Melbourne hosted the first Olympic Games held in the southern hemisphere.
1964 The military draft was introduced in Australia for the first time. Australian troops were sent to Vietnam the next year.
1967 The Australian government granted Aborigines the right to vote.
1972 The Labor Party took power for the first time since 1949. It soon abolished the draft and withdrew Australian forces from Vietnam.
1993 Sydney was chosen as the site of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
1996 A coalition of Liberal Party and National Party candidates gained a majority in both houses of parliament, ending 13 years of consecutive Labor rule.

HISTORICAL EVENTS BY COUNTRY :: ARGENTINA  

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Argentina: Historical Dates

1516 Juan Díaz de Solís landed on the shores of the Río de la Plata.
1776 Buenos Aires thrived as the capital and trade center of the newly declared Spanish Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata.
1816 Argentina declared its independence from Spain.
1817 José de San Martín secured Argentina's independence by defeating Spanish forces in neighboring Chile.
1853 The Constitution of 1853 proclaimed a confederation of Argentine states, but Buenos Aires did not join until 1862.
1877 Argentina began exporting farm products to Europe. The money from these exports made Argentina one of the world's richest countries by the 1920s, and attracted many immigrants.
1946 Promising higher wages for workers, Colonel Juan Perón was elected president.
1955 Perón fled to Spain as the military took power.
1973 Perón was returned to power in the hopes of reviving Argentina's economy. He died the next year and was succeeded by his wife, Isabel, who was vice president.
1976-1983 The military again seized power. Thousands of leftist opposition supporters were illegally imprisoned, tortured, and executed in what became known as the Dirty War.
1982 In April, Argentina invaded the British-held Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Great Britain recaptured the islands a few weeks later.
1983 Argentina returned to civilian rule. Over the next few years many former military officers were convicted of involvement in the Dirty War.
1989 Rising inflation forced newly elected President Carlos Saúl Menem to adopt emergency economic measures
1995 With inflation under control and the economy growing, Argentina joined Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay in founding the Southern Cone Common Market, a free-trade organization.
1996 Budgetary shortfalls induced Congress to grant President Menem emergency economic powers allowing him to raise and impose taxes without congressional approval

Scientific Instruments with uses  

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No.

Name of instrument

Use
01 Altimeter Measures altitudes (used in aircraft)
02

Ammeter

 Measures strength of electric current
03

Anemometer

 Measures force and velocity of wind and determines its directions
04 Audiometer Measures intensity of sound
05 Barograph Continuous recording of atmospheric pressure
06 Barometer Measures atmospheric pressure
07 Binoculars To view distant objects
08 Bolometer To measure heat radiation
09 Callipers Measure inner and outer diameters of bodies
10 Calorimeter Measures quantities of heat
11 Cardiogram (ECG) Traces movements of the heart; recorded on a Cardiograph
12 Cathetometer Determines heights, measurement of levels, etc., in scientific experiments
13 Chronometer Determines longitude of vessel at sea
14 Colorimeter Compares intensity of colours
15 Commutator To change/reverse the direction of electric cuttent; Also used to convert AC into DC
16 Cryometer A type of thermometer used to measure very low-tempratures, usually close to 0 0 C
17 Cyclotron A charged particle accelerator which can accelerate charged particles to high energies
18 Dilatometer Measures changes in volume of substances
19 Dynamo To convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
20 Dynamometer Measures electrical power
21 Electroencephalogram (EEC) Records and interrupts the electrical waves of the brain recorded on electroencephalograms.
22 Electrometer Measures very call but potential difference in electric currents
23 Electroscope Detects presence of an electric charge
24 Electron microscope To obtain a magnifying view of very small objects. Capable of magnifying up to 20,000 times
25 Endo scope To examine internal parts of the body
26 Fathometer Measures depth of the ocean
27 Flux meter Measures magnetic flux
28 Galvanometer Measures electric current
29 Hydrometer Measures the relative density of liquids
30 Hygrometer Measures level of humidity
31 Hydrophone Measures sound under water
32 Hygroscope Shows the changes in atmospheric humidity
33 Hypsometer To determine boiling point of liquids
34 Kymograph Graphically records physiological movement
35 Lactometer Measures the relative density of milk to determine purity
36 Mach meter Determines the speed of an aircraft in terms of the speed of sound
37 Magnetometer Compares magnetic movements and fields
38 Manometer Measures the pressure of gases
39 Micrometer Converts sound waves into electrical vibrations
40 Microphone Measures distances / Angles
41 Microscope To otain a magnified view of small objects
42 Nephetometer Measures the scattering of light by particles suspended in a liquid
43 Ohmmeter To measure electrical resistances in ohms
44 Ondometer Measures the frequency of electromagnetic waves, especially in the radio-frequency band
45 Periscope To view objects above sea level ( used in submarines )
46 Photometer Compares the luminous intensity of the source of light
47 Polygraph Instrument that simultaneously records changes in physiological processes such as heartbeat, blood-pressure and respiration; used as a lie detector
48 Pyknometer Determines the density and coefficient of expansion of liquids
49 Pyrheliometer Measures components of solar radiation
50 Pyrometer Measures very high temperature
51 Quadrant Measures altitudes and angles in navigation and stronomy
52 Radar To detect the direction and range of an approaching aero- plane by means of radio waves, (Radio, Angle, Detection and Range)
53 Radio micrometer Measures heat radiation
54 Refractometer Measures refraction indices
55 Salinometer Determines salinity of solutions
56 Sextant Used by navigators to find the latitude of a place by measuring the elevation above the horizon of the sun or another star; also used to measure the height of very distant objects
57 Spectroscope To observe or record spectra
58 Spectrometer Spectroscope equipped with calibrated scale to measure the position of spectral lines Measurement of refractive indices
59 Spherometer Measures curvature of spherical objects
60 Sphygmomanometer Measures blood pressure
61 Stereoscope To view two-dimensional pictures
62 Stethoscope Used by doctors to hear and analyze heart and lung sounds
63 Stroboscope To view rapidly moving objects
64 Tachometer To determine speed, especially the rotational speed of a shaft (used in aero planes and motorboats)

Tacheometer A theodolite adapted to measure distances, elevations and bearings during survey
65 Tangent galvanometer Measures the strength of direct current
66 Telemeter Records physical happenings at a distant place
67 Teleprinter Receives an sends typed messages from one place to another
68 Telescope To view distant objects in space
69 Thermometer Temperature is measured by determining the electrical resistance of a coil of thin wire
70 Theodolite Measure horizontal and vertical angles
71 Thermostat Regulates the temperature to a particular point
72 Tonometer To measure the pitch of a sound
73 Transponder To receive a signal and transmit a reply immediately
74 Udometer Rain gauge
75 Ultrasonoscope To measure and use ultrasonic sound (beyond hearing); use to make a Ecogram to detect brain tumors, heart detects and abnormal growth
76 Venturimeter To measure the rate of flow of liquids
77 Vernier Measures small sun-division of scale
78 Viscometer Measures the viscosity of liquid
79 Voltmeter To measure electric potential deference between two points
80 Wattmeter To measure the power of an electric circuit
81 Wavemeter To measure the wavelength of a radiowave

General Knowledge Questions and Answers  

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01 Q: Arrange in size from biggest to smallest; Earth, Moon, and Sun.

A: Sun, Earth and Moon.
02 Q: What is meant by abrogating a law?

A: Repealing it.
03 Q: In which country is the famous village of Waterloo?

A: In Belgium.
04 Q: Genghis Khan conquered Asia in which century?

A: The thirteenth century.
05

Q: When was Soviet Russia recognized by the US?

A: In 1933
06

Q: What is the correct height for tennis net?

A: 3 feet
07

Q: Can a rabbit run faster uphill than downhill?

A: Yes, because his hind legs are longer than his forelegs
08

Q: The Suez Canal connects what seas?

A: The Red Sea and the Mediterranean
09

Q: During which century did Kublai Khan in China?

A: During the thirteenth century
10

Q: Does fog indicate bad weather to come?

A: No, fair weather
11

Q: In what body of water is there no life?

A: In the Dead Sea, because of the concentrated salt. The Great Salt Lake has a few primitive forms.
12

Q: Which is higher in rank? A marquis or an earl?

A: A marquis
13

Q: What is the difference between standard coins and token coins?

A: Standard coins when new are worth their face value as metal. Token coins pass for more than their actual worth in metal.
14 Q: The fusion of what metals in used for backing mirrors?

A: Mercury and tin
15 Q: To what colours are partially colour blind people most frequently insensitive?

A: Red and Green
16 Q: Where is the Gobi desert?

A: A desert in Mongolia and East Turkistan.
17 Q: Are penguins birds?

A: Yes.
18 Q: In which state are most of the highest mountain peaks?

A: In Colorado.
19 Q: Is a dock: a) the solid fleshy part of an animal's tail b) a wharf c) the place where the prisoner stands in court to be trail.

A: All three.
20 Q: What causes the hum of a humming bird?

A: The rapid beating of their wings.

FIRST'S IN THE WORLD  

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No.

Field

Name

Year
01 Man to reach South Pole Ronald Amundson (Norway) 1911
02 Man to reach North Pole Robert E Peary 1909
03 Woman to reach North Pole Karoline Mikkelsen 1935
04 Woman to reach South Fran Phipps (Canada) 1971
05 First Man to go in space Yuri Gagrin (former USSR) 1961
06 Man to set foot on the moon Neil Alden Armstrong (USA) 1969
07 Man to walk in space Alexei Leonov (former USSR) 1965
08 Woman cosmonaut in space Valentina Tereshkova (former USSR) 1963
09 Men to climb Mt Everest Tenzmg Norgay (India) and Edmund Hillary (ISA) 1953
10 Woman t climb Mt Everest Junko Taibei (Japan) 1975
11 Man to sail round the world Ferdinand Magellan (Portugal) 1480-1521
12 Polar circumnavigation Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Charles Burton (Britain) 1979-82
13 President of Chinese Republic Dr Sun Yat-Sen 1921-25
14 Chairman of People's Republic of China Mao Tse-Tung 1949-76
15 President of USA George Washigton 1789
16 Prime Minister of England Sir Robert Walpole 1721-42
17 Lady Prime Minister of a Country Srimavo Bhandarnaike (Sri Lanka) 1970-77
18 Lady Prime Minister of England Mrs. Margaret Thatcher 1979-90
19 Foreign invader of India Alexander the Great 326 BC
20 Chinese traveller to India Fa-hien 405-11
21 Woman Bishop Rev Barbara C Harris (USA) 1988
22 Lady President of a Country Maria Estate Pew (Argentina)

Longest Rivers of the World  

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Longest Rivers of the World

Rank

River

Location

Approximate Length—miles

1.

Nile

Africa

4,180

2.

Amazon

South America

3,912

3.

Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock

United States

3,710

4.

Chang Jiang (Yangtze)

China

3,602

5.

Ob

Russia

3,459

6.

Huang Ho (Yellow)

China

2,900

7.

Yenisei

Russia

2,800

8.

Parana

South America

2,795

9.

Irtish

Russia

2,758

10.

Zaire (Congo)

Congo

2,716

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